Senate File 2095

                                     SENATE FILE       
                                     BY  KREIMAN, HOLVECK, COURTNEY,
                                         KIBBIE, GRONSTAL, CONNOLLY,
                                         DVORSKY, STEWART, QUIRMBACH,
                                         HATCH, WARNSTADT, BOLKCOM,
                                         McCOY, DOTZLER, HORN, FRAISE,
                                         DEARDEN, BEALL, RAGAN, and
                                         SENG


    Passed Senate, Date               Passed House,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act requiring the department of human services to comply with
  2    national standards for social worker caseloads.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 5684XS 80
  5 jp/gg/14

PAG LIN

  1  1    Section 1.  Section 217.3, Code 2003, is amended by adding
  1  2 the following new subsection:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  9.  Adopt and phase in the implementation
  1  4 of caseload standards so that the caseloads of social workers
  1  5 who are employed by or contract with the department do not
  1  6 exceed applicable caseload standards adopted by or recommended
  1  7 by a recognized national accrediting body or professional
  1  8 organization, including but not limited to the national
  1  9 association of social workers, the council on accreditation,
  1 10 and the child welfare league of America.  The standards shall
  1 11 be fully implemented on or before July 1, 2010.
  1 12    Sec. 2.  SOCIAL WORKER CASELOAD STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION
  1 13 PLAN.  The department of human services shall develop a plan
  1 14 for approval by the council on human services for phased=in
  1 15 implementation of the social worker caseload standards
  1 16 required by section 217.3, subsection 9, as enacted by this
  1 17 Act.  The first phase of the plan shall be incorporated in the
  1 18 department and council's budget recommendations for the fiscal
  1 19 year beginning July 1, 2005.  The plan shall be submitted to
  1 20 the governor and general assembly on or before December 15,
  1 21 2004.
  1 22                           EXPLANATION
  1 23    This bill requires the department of human services to
  1 24 adopt social worker caseload standards.  The Code section
  1 25 217.3 duties of the council on human services are amended to
  1 26 direct the council to adopt and phase in caseload standards
  1 27 with full implementation on or before July 1, 2010.  The
  1 28 caseload standards are required to conform to the applicable
  1 29 standards adopted by or recommended by a national accrediting
  1 30 body or professional organization, including the national
  1 31 association of social workers, the council on accreditation,
  1 32 and the child welfare league of America.  The department is
  1 33 directed to develop an implementation plan for approval by the
  1 34 council and the budgets recommended by the department and
  1 35 council for fiscal year 2005=2006 are required to incorporate
  2  1 the first phase of the plan.  The plan is required to be
  2  2 submitted to the governor and general assembly by December 15,
  2  3 2004.
  2  4 LSB 5684XS 80
  2  5 jp/gg/14